Article
Bilateral lesion of the fastigial nuclei in juvenile rats – effects on social behavior, vocalization and motor activity
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Authors
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Shadi Al-Afif
- Klinik für Neurochirurgie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover
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Frauke Helms
- Klinik für Neurochirurgie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover
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Svilen Angelov
- Klinik für Neurochirurgie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover
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Kerstin Schwabe
- Klinik für Neurochirurgie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover
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Joachim K. Krauss
- Klinik für Neurochirurgie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover
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Elvis J. Hermann
- Klinik für Neurochirurgie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover
| Published: | June 2, 2015 |
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Outline
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Objective: Radical resection of malignant midline tumors of the posterior fossa in childhood followed by adjuvant therapies like chemotherapy or radiotherapy often leads to long-term survival and even healing of such patients. Therefore, quality of life becomes particularly important. Postoperative neurological deficits, such as cerebellar mutism and ataxia, have been attributed to damage of cerebellar midline structures during surgery to remove these tumors. Here, we tested the effect of bilateral lesions of the fastigial nuclei in juvenile rats on social behavior, vocalization and motor activity.
Method: Juvenile male Sprague Dawley rats, aged 23 days, underwent bilateral thermocoagulation of the fastigial nucleus using stereotaxically applied electric current under general anaesthesia (lesioned group, n=16). In sham-lesioned rats, electrodes were inserted without application of electric current (n=16). Naïve rats served as controls (n=16). All groups were tested on day 0 (before surgery), and on days 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7, as well as 2, 3, 4, and 7 weeks after surgery for locomotor activity, motor coordination, social behavior, and ultrasound vocalization during social interaction. Finally, lesions of the fastigial nuclei were histologically verified.
Results: Playing behavior and vocalizations were reduced for 3 weeks after surgery in lesioned rats compared to sham-lesioned rats and controls, while in young adults (10 weeks) no differences between groups were found. Locomotor activity was disturbed for 3 weeks after surgery in lesioned rats as compared to controls and for 3 days as compared to sham-lesioned rats. Motor coordination measured by rotarod and balance beam test was compromised until adulthood.
Conclusions: Deficient social behavior and vocalization after surgery are related to lesioning of the fastigial nuclei in juvenile rats. These results indicate that similar to the human context damage of the cerebellar midline structures can reduce communicative drive and some aspects of motor activity.
